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Percussion Plate
Percussion Plate, Arma Percussor, Shiver Plate, is a special form of dwarven plate armor that can absord bludgeoning and slashing energy and deflect it back to the attacker's weapon. The metal could somehow resonate, creating such an effect as to shake swords out of foes' hands, shatter wooden hafts, even crack iron mace heads. The armor also gives exceptional protection to the wearer. Percussion Plate is highly sought after--especially pieces that can be sized to humans. History Percussion Plate was only made in Dwarven Forges on the continent of Pintara. According to legend, the first maker, a poor armorer, made an offering and asked for a blessing over his forge by a priest of the dwarvish god of good fortune. That priest refused, thinking the offering too paltry for such a great god. The smith then asked a blessing from a priest of the war god, who similarly refused. Finally, the desperate smith, a devout dwarf fearful of operating an cursed and unclean forge, asked for a blessing from a passing monk. The monk, a follower of the god of Chant and Psalm, was a humble fellow himself. Filthy, the monk was vowed to poverty, and walked barefoot in rags. He asked for three things, a meal, a horn of mead, and one coin. The smith provided. The hungry monk devoured the meal, quaffed the mead, and picked up the coin. He held it to his ear, pinged it once with his finger (to tell if it was true metal), and smiled. The monk threw the coin into the furnace of the forge saying, "May your steel ring as true as your hospitality. Your forge with sing with the sound of hammers and industry, for all will want your wares." To this day descendants of both the monk and smith are said to live on in the Abbacies Sonus, and the Frae Forje. Design and Dimensions The production of percussion plate is a closedly guarded secret. It is unknown if any new suits of armor are being made at all, since the largest dwarven Forges on Pintara have been overrun. What is known from the history is that the highest grade of steel was used--and that sometime during the process a monk of the Abbacies Sonus would be called to bless or, as they say "sound" the armor. Recovered fragments show two layers of hardened steel with a mysterious honeycomb of metal in between. The plate is more cumbersome that standard armor, and typically only the extremities, helm and pauldrons would be armored in this manner. Usage Percussion Plate is used solely by dwarven infantry. The armor is heavy and hot, too taxing for long campaigning. In defense of keep, hall and tunnel, the plate armor truly is outstanding. The wearer is almost always a frontline soldier--and will try to engage as many foes as possible in hopes of disarming them. Variations Shields have been made of this material. Rare examples of weapons are known to exist as well. The legendary Tokmok of Tordin is thought partly made of percussor metal. Comments "Each suit had a different 'ring' or song to it. You could hear your fellow brother down the tunnel or on the battlefied afar, as foes' weapons clang off of him."--Arn the Stout, Dwarven warrior of the Frae Forjes "It was a battle not soon forgotten; a hard lessen for the men of Pintari. Their mercenaries met the dwarves on the field of war, outnumbering them five to one. There was the roar of the charge; then the clash of swords; then the sound of shattering steel; then a high cry of horror; and a low bellowing chant as the dwarves cut the disarmed men to pieces. It was a song of praise to to their gods."--Ser Baratha, Retired Bard Category:Arms and Armor